Anxiety

The number of people living with depression increased by more than 18% between 2005 and 2015, according to a new WHO report. Depression is also the largest cause of disability worldwide. More than 80% of this disease burden is among people living in low- and middle-income countries.

The release of these estimates, along with corresponding data on anxiety disorders, comes just six weeks before the World Health Day, which this year will focus on depression. World Health Day will be the highlight of a one-year campaign “Depression: let’s talk”, the goal of which is that more people with depression, in all countries, seek and get help. Continue reading →

If you’re unhappy with changes to your job, getting to work may feel like an insurmountable task. A new Canadian survey warns that 46 per cent of employees have taken time off work or noticed their colleagues take time away to tend to their mental health following workplace changes, specifically a change in job roles.

When changes sweep the workplace, negative implications for employees often follow, according to a new survey by Morneau Shepell, a human resources consulting company. Continue reading →

Family doctors are the first point of contact for most people seeking diagnosis and care, but a disconnect between physicians and mental health professionals leaves many stranded.

When Esme Hurst’s teenage son Alex started showing signs of depression and anxiety, she took him to their family doctor.

His physician diagnosed depression, prescribed an anti-depressant and referred Alex to a local hospital’s youth mental health services.

None of it helped Alex. He got an assessment from hospital staff, but they did not refer him to ongoing treatment. And he hated the anti-depressants, said they made him feel strange.

Family doctors are the first point of contact for thousands of people seeking diagnosis and care for mental illness, but a disconnect between physicians and mental health professionals leaves many patients stranded without an effective path to treatment.

Legal access to marijuana, medicinal or otherwise, is growing. In 2016, four states approved recreational use of the drug and four states passed laws related to medical-cannabis access, bringing the total number of states that allow some form of legal marijuana use to 28.

Scientists know that marijuana contains more than 100 compounds, called cannabinoids, that have biological effects on the body. Medically, cannabis can be prescribed for physical ailments like arthritis and cancer symptoms as well as mental health issues like PTSD, depression and anxiety. Continue reading →

If you are guilty of putting in extra hours at the office, compulsively checking your work email, or allowing your life to constantly revolve around work, you may be more likely to suffer from psychiatric disorders like depression, according to a new study. Continue reading →

Candace has repeated, intrusive thoughts about losing control and stabbing her children with a sharp knife. She becomes intensely anxious and is concerned that these unwanted thoughts signal her impending loss of control, or at the very least indicate that she is fundamentally a bad person. In an effort to be certain that she will not act on these horrific impulses, Candace insisted that her partner remove all sharp knives from their house. Continue reading →

Survey of 25,000 students found rise in rates of anxiety, depression and suicide attempts

Ontario colleges and universities are facing a mental health crisis as campus counsellors are overwhelmed by the growing need for services, according to a new study from the provincial association that represents heath service providers on campuses. Continue reading →

Mental health is costing the Canadian economy billions of dollars, according to a report by the Conference Board of Canada.

The board found that depression cost $32.3 billion in lost gross domestic product. Anxiety cost $17.3 billion a year.

The research concluded that almost one-quarter of Canadians are unable to work due to their symptoms. And, in some cases, depression and anxiety prevents people from entering the workforce altogether. Continue reading →